Glass Negatives circa 1928

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Chem­i­cal pho­tog­ra­phy as we know it today was not invented in a day — one of the stages in devel­op­ing was the glass neg­a­tives pho­tog­ra­phy, when the   glass plates were cov­ered with a pro­tein emul­sion — invented in 1841, the process was clunky and dif­fi­cult to repro­duce. Those images can now be iden­ti­fied by the uneven coat of emul­sion, rough edges, thick glass and maybe even photographer’s thumbprint on it.

All in all, below are the 20+ images from the glass neg­a­tives — the shots of Soviet coun­try­side life, shot around 1928. Peo­ple, har­vests, views, tools — what­ever the pho­tog­ra­phy afi­cionado encoun­tered.  Con­sid­er­ing that this is pre-film, the spirit of these pho­tos is mind blow­ing. We hope you’ll share our excitement.

111 375x500 Glass Negatives circa 1928

A fash­ion­ista.

IMG 9737 500x409 Glass Negatives circa 1928

The glass slides. Dated 1928.

1111 500x379 Glass Negatives circa 1928

If any­body could help iden­tify what these women are doing?

retroscan 060 376x500 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Late autumn

retroscan 059 371x500 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Sis­ters? Note the background

retroscan 057 384x500 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Another styl­ish cou­ple. He reminds me of Clark Gable

retroscan 026 500x385 Glass Negatives circa 1928

River out­ing

retroscan 025 500x386 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Study­ing

retroscan 054 383x500 Glass Negatives circa 1928

A styl­ish three­some: mind the leather jacket

retroscan 006 500x396 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Har­vest­ing

retroscan 056 386x500 Glass Negatives circa 1928

My favourie shot of the lot

retroscan 024 500x385 Glass Negatives circa 1928

If any­one could help us iden­tify the lit­tle box? Milk? Tea? Coffee?

retroscan 023 500x385 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Every­one pos­ing for the cam­era man

retroscan 001 500x399 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Still life

retroscan 021 500x385 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Wood­work­ers’ shop

retroscan 010 500x395 Glass Negatives circa 1928

City vis­tas

retroscan 009 500x382 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Fam­ily gathering

retroscan 008 500x391 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Wine­mak­ing?

retroscan 005 500x384 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Sum­mer­time. Apart from the water­melon, note the cam­era case in front. Now it would be called lomo

retroscan 003 500x384 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Lunch break

retroscan 002 500x382 Glass Negatives circa 1928

Har­vest­ing. Plenty of apples this year!

TBC.


Related posts:

  1. 21+ Depress­ing Pho­tos of Post-Revolutionary Rus­sia by Arkady Shaikhet
  2. Artis­tic Pho­tog­ra­phy Shortly Before Perestroika
  3. Good Soviet Kids Go to Heaven? Nope, They Go to Artek!
  4. More pic­tures of Soviet Moscow 1960s by Mark Riboud
  5. A Swiss­man in Moscow: Leonard Gianadda, 1957.